Terry Murphy

I haven't "completed" all of I set out to do but each day I chip away at it. Set up computer to track spending; am finding a bus route to my friend's house to avoid using other transportation; didn't have to use a single produce or bulk bag at Whole Foods as I brought cloth ones and my canvas totes to carry it home on the subway. 

This is a daily practice so to say it is complete isn't totally accurate; but on any given day this week you could ask me what I spent money on and aside from paying a bill (mortgage etc.) I can list it on 1 to 3 fingers.  Usually 1.

Have been keeping track of my expenditures and ended up at the library yesterday grabbing 6 CDs and two books. Of those I would probably have been tempted to buy the book and at least one of the CDs at a local shop. Saved myself maybe $50 that can go to Earth Justice membership (or one of the 10 sitting in my pile). I'll continue to buy local, but on things I need rather than just want.

EverSource finally started to offer 100 percent renewable energy in the electricity category. I have signed the official contract to join. This, as expected, will be more expensive but in return I am being more frugal about using lights, keeping the temperature on the fridge reasonable, etc., Everything is on power strips, but the computer is an issue.

I meet with my financial planner today who WANTS me to write down all of my expenditures so I can see where the leaks are ... aka buying unnecessary items or purchasing more food than I can consume as a single person. So that does begin today. 

Am working to get my office involved in composting via a small local company that drops off and picks up buckets for food composting. I have printed a couple of the posted just in case catches someone's eye; recommended a juicer to two people who want to start juicing organic veggies and fruits (and support local farmers, use fewer plastic bottles etc.); went to food co-op, brought own containers to fill up on bulk items. 

Walked around a couple of blocks in my neighborhood and collected plastic... mostly bottles. Massachusetts voted against the bottle bill, which would have put a deposit on ALL plastic bottles, not just seltzer bottles. The beverage lobbyists said we don't need it; an unfair cost upon the consumer; people recycle plastic bottles. The beverage lobbyists spent buckets of money to convince people the deposit wasn't needed. Walk around any city block and you'll see just how wrong that thinking is. And I may live in a city, but it's also a neighborhood and most of these items (including straws) were near the drains that take it all into the local waterways ... and from there?

This wasn't part of the EcoChallenge, it was simply me being upset by what I saw and yet so many people are willing to turn a blind eye to it all.

I am doing getting ready to swap out any remaining incandescent with LED (although I may not have 3 left), but hardware store sent me a coupon for LEDs. 

I will be getting my first clean energy bill (electricity); but am already making sure to turn off lights. I am reconsidering how long to keep my computers powered up in anticipation of a higher electric bill (they warned me clean energy costs more). Everything is on power strips, but computers are tricky.

Have the boxes ready to de-clutter and will post a notice asking others in my building to box up and label their excess for Salvation Army pickup. To date the condo association has hired a company to pick up and dispose of everything in any manner they wish -- landfill is my guess.

Our condo association is paying for a company to pick up our food scraps for composting -- we put the waste in a sealed bucket and Bootstrap picks it up and delivers a clean bucket the next week. That and my worm composting bin have reduced my waste by one bag a week. (clumping cat litter, there is no solution to my knowledge).

I have to track my purchases because I am meeting with my financial planner on Oct. 14. So I am getting a head start. 

In preparation for the Challenge, I have already converted to clean energy for my electricity source. It's a new program and will be costlier, so I need to see just how much ... It could also force me to be ultra conservative with electricity use, although I do a lot already.